Hydrocarbons are chemical compounds of hydrogen and carbon, also referred to as organic compounds. Carbon atoms form the skeleton of the hydrocarbon molecule and may be arranged in chains (aliphatic) or rings (cyclic). There are three principal types of hydrocarbons that occur naturally in petroleum: paraffins, naphthenes and aromatics. Paraffins are aliphatic, while the other two are cyclic.
The most common petroleum solvents are mineral spirits, xylene, toluene, hexane, heptane, and napthas. Aromatic-type solvents have the highest solvency for organic chemical materials, followed by napthenes and paraffins. In most chemical compositions comprising solvents, the solvent disappears, usually by evaporation, after it has served its purpose. Some solvents, particularly aromatics, pose serious physical and health hazards.
Petroleum solvents have multiple industrial and home applications and are used in paints, adhesives, as paint thinners, paint strippers, aerosol sprays, dry-cleaning fluid, charcoal lighter, degreasers, nail polish removers, and are present in textiles, plastics, waxes and many other products. Liquid petroleum solvents are highly volatile, which makes them a fire hazard, as well as a health hazard due to their rapid evaporation rates, inhalation or exposure risks, and disposal problems.
Petroleum wax is a relatively high molecular-weight hydrocarbon (approximately C16 to C50), solid at room temperature and derived from higher boiling petroleum fractions. There are three general types of petroleum-derived wax: paraffin, microcrystalline and petrolatum. Microcrystalline waxes differ in that the crystal structure is more branched and the carbon chains are longer. Microcrystalline waxes are typically more flexible and have higher tensile strengths and melting points. They are also more adhesive and bind with solvents. When used in chemical compounds, microcrystalline waxes are typically ground up into micronized particles and combined with water or solvents as emulsions or dispersions.
In order to reduce the risk of use in handling of petroleum solvents, the present invention includes a method of mixing petroleum solvents into a stable composition that is less volatile and less of a hazard, yet still has multiple applications.
Prior art U.S. patents petroleum solvents and paraffins include Tanner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,765, dated Aug. 23, 1977 for Artificial Fireplace Logs with Ignition Strips. Tanner describes that a suitable thickener may be mixed with a fuel to form a paste and lists a variety of useful thickeners. The thickener may be added to the fuel with the use of heat as an aid in formation of the paste. U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,405 to Snow dated Jul. 13, 1993 is for an Ignition Platform and Fuel Component for Kindling a Fire. Snow uses a fuel composition for impregnating an ignition platform to be used to rapidly ignite coal or charcoal fires or wood in a fireplace. In his composition, Snow includes polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hydrocarbons in a specified range along with a low melt paraffin and microcrystalline wax and may include refined petroleum. Snow describes this composition as burning clean, substantially without smoke, and to be essentially non-volatile, safe to store and transport, and easy to pack and handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,415 dated Nov. 18, 1975 to Reusser et al. is for Odor Inhibition for Paraffin Hydrocarbons. This patent describes that “odorless mineral spirits” are generally marketed for use as paint thinner, insecticide carrier oil, charcoal lighter fluid, industrial cleaning compounds and general solvents. This invention relies on the addition of 2,4,6-tris-(dimethyl aminomethyl) phenol to inhibit the oxidation of odorless mineral spirits with consequent prevention of odor formation. The Jones U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,224 of Jul. 25, 2000 is for a Long Burning Fire Starter. The Jones composition comprises odorless mineral spirits and propylene glycol, which are used to saturate a holder made of a mix of diatomaceous earth and wood pellets. Once impregnated with the fuel composition, the holder is overcoated with paraffin wax.
The following illustrates the principles, practice, and applications of methods constituting this invention. While this invention is satisfied by embodiments in many different forms, there will herein be described in detail certain embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as exemplary of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated and described.